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For Release: May 27, 1998
Dawes, Moceanu, Khorkina Headline Olympic and World Champion Women Competing at the 1998 Goodwill GamesSony Joins Games as Presenting Sponsor
Two members of the "Magnificent 7", Olympic Gold Medallists Dominique Dawes and Dominique Moceanu, and the reigning World Champion, Svetlana Khorkina, headline the field of elite women competing at this year’s most dynamic and competitive international gymnastics competition—the 1998 Goodwill Games. The Goodwill Games announced the roster of women’s gymnasts, competition schedule and prize money structure at a Games' press conference held today in Washington, D.C.
The Goodwill Games gymnastics competition will take place at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum July 19-26 and will feature the world’s best gymnasts representing 14 countries: Australia, Belarus, China, Cuba, Spain, Finland, Hungary, Japan, Kazakhstan, Romania, Russia, Ukraine and the United States. The competitors, who were invited based on their performances at the 1997 World Championships and other major competitions, include many Olympic and World Champions. The complete women’s roster, confirmed as of May 27, accompanies this release.
"These athletes define what the Goodwill Games strive to accomplish, and that is to bring the world's best together in a single event," said Goodwill Games President Mike Plant. "It’s this caliber of athletic competition that allows us to deliver events that are appealing to both the spectators and viewers."
The gymnastics competition features 13 total events: women - five events; men - seven events; a "mixed" team competition; and an exhibition. The exhibition, which takes place on July 26, will include medallists from the ‘98 Goodwill Games, special guests, and Goodwill Games alumni performing for one spectacular and final evening. The complete schedule follows:
The Goodwill Games’ gymnasts will be competing for more than $100,000 in prize money. Prize money will be awarded to the top 12 places in the men and women’s all-around competition, including: 1st place - $10,000; 2nd place - $5,000; and 3rd place - $2,500. Men and women in the individual apparatus events will be awarded $2,000, $1,500 and $1,000 for the top three finishers. The top twelve entries in the mixed team competition will be awarded prize money, including: 1st place - $4,000; 2nd place - $2,000; and 3rd place - $1,000.
Sony Electronics, Inc. is the presenting sponsor for the 1998 Goodwill Games gymnastics competition. Headquartered in Park Ridge, N.J, Sony has more than 24,000 employees in North America. Sony is the co-developer of CD and DVD technologies, and noted for such product developments as the MiniDisc digital audio system, digital video camcorders and Trinitron television technology. The company's annual sales in 1997 are expected to exceed $10 billion.
The 1998 Goodwill Games will showcase approximately 1,500 of the world’s best athletes from more than 60 countries competing in 15 sports. The competitors, which include numerous Olympic and world champions, will be vying for $5 million in prize money and world record/performance incentives, the largest purse in multi-sport event history.
TBS Superstation, the Games’ host network, will televise 45 hours of prime-time coverage of the 1998 Goodwill Games. CBS will televise 10 hours of weekend, afternoon coverage. In addition to appearing on TBS and CBS, boxing will be televised on HBO as a part of the Boxing After Dark series. The 1998 Goodwill Games are the first time a sporting event has appeared on all three levels of television distribution. Turner Sports is the host broadcaster and is coordinating all aspects of the production. Internationally, the syndication rights are being sold by Warner Bros. International Television Distribution.
The Goodwill Games are hosted through a combined effort between Goodwill Games, Inc. and the participating sports federations, in conjunction will the appropriate state, city and county governmental agencies. Goodwill Games, Inc., a division of Turner Sports, is responsible for all aspects of the event.
CONTACTS: Michael Lewellen Goodwill Games/Atlanta 404/827-4786Amy Sasser Goodwill Games/New York 404/827-4545Craig Bonhert USA Gymnastics 317/237-5050, ext. 247